Unit1PaperTigersWesleyYangAdditionalBackgroundInformation(AboutBattleHymnoftheTigerMother)WhatfollowsisacommentonBattleHymnoftheTigerMotherbyElizabethChang,aneditorofTheWashingtonPost'sSundayMagazine,whichcarriedthearticleonJanuary8th,2011.ThecoverofBattleHymnoftheTigerMotherwascatniptothisaverageparent'ssoul.AlthoughthememoirseemstohavebeenwrittentoprovethatChineseparentsarebetteratraisingchildrenthanWesternones,thecovertextclaimsthatinsteaditportrays"abitterclashofcultures,afleetingtasteofglory"andhowtheTigerMother“washumbledbya13-year-old.”AsahopelesslyWesternmothermarriedintoaChinesefamilylivinginanareathatgeneratesimmigrantprodigiesasreliablyascloudsproducerain,Iwaseagertoobservethecomeuppanceofaparentwhothoughtshehadalltheanswers.And,inmanyways,"TigerMother"didnotdisappoint.Atnight,Iwouldnudgemyhusbandawaketoreadhimsomeofitsmorerevealingpassages,suchaswhenauthorAmyChuathreatenedtoburnherolderdaughter'sstuffedanimalsifthechilddidn'timproveherpianoplaying."WhatChineseparentsunderstand,"Chuawrites,"isthatnothingisfununtilyou'regoodatit."Byday,IwouldtellmyowntwodaughtersabouthowChuathrewunimpressivebirthdaycardsbackatheryounggirlsandorderedthemtomakebetterones.Foramotherwhosehalf-Chinesechildrenplayedoutsidewhilethekidsofstricterimmigrantneighborscouldbeheardlaboringovertheviolinandpiano,thebookcanbewickedlygratifying.Readingitislikesecretlypeeringintothehomeofacontrolling,obsessiveyetcompulsivelyhonestmother—onewhosometimesmakestherestofuslookgood,iflessremarkableandwithlessimpressiveoffspring.Doesbecomingsuper-accomplishedmakeupforyearsofstress?That'ssomethingmydaughtersandIwillneverfindout.Chuaisalawprofessorandauthoroftwoacclaimedbooksoninternationalaffairs,thoughreadersof"TigerMother"getonlyaglimpseofthatpartofherlife,withairy,tossedoff-linessuchas"Meanwhile,IwasstillteachingmycoursesatYaleandfinishingupmysecondbook"whilealso"travelingcontinuously,givinglecturesaboutdemocratizationandethnicconflict."HerthirdbookabandonsglobalconcernstofocusintimatelyonChua'sattempttoraisehertwodaughtersthewayherimmigrantparentsraisedher.Therewouldbenoplaydatesandnosleepovers:"Idon'treallyhavetimeforanythingfun,becauseI'mChinese,"oneofChua'sdaughterstoldafriend.Instead,therewouldbeatotalcommitmenttoacademicsandexpertiseatsomething,preferablyaninstrument.ThoughChua'sJewishhusbandgrewupwithparentswhoencouragedhimtoimagine—andtoexpresshimself,henonethelessagreedtolethertaketheleadinrearingthechildrenandmostlyservesastheGreekchorustoChua'scrazedactions.InChineseparentingtheory,hardworkproducesaccomplishment,whichproducesconfidenceandyetmoreaccomplishment.AsChuanotes,thisstyleofparentingisfoundamongotherimmigrantcultures,too,andI'msuremanyWashington-areareadershaveseenit,iftheydon'temployitthemselves.Chua'solderdaughter,Sophia,apianist,wentalongwith,andblossomed,underthisapproach.Theyoungerdaughter,Lulu,whoseinstrumentofChua'schoicewasaviolin,wasadifferentstory.Theturningpointcamewhen,afteryearsofpracticingandperforming,Luluexpressedherhatredoftheviolin,hermotherandofbeingChinese.ChuaimaginedaWesternparent’stakeonLulu'srebellion:"Whytortureyourselfandyourchild?What'sthepoint?...IknewasaChinesemotherIcouldnevergiveintothatwayofthinking."ButsheneverthelessallowedLulutoabandontheviolin.GiventhattheworstLulueverdidwascutherownhairandthrowaglass,myreactionwasthatChuagotoffeasyinasociet...
